Christmas has come early - very early

Designed to hit at the end of the summer's 'silly season' (a time of year when the UK parliament is in recession and there is very little 'actual' news) Asda have stolen the march on other superstores by starting their Christmas promotion early...4 months early. They have opened 17 grottos, complete with Santas, across their 540 stores, just as we head into a predicted heatwave. Reported in newspapers as diverse as the Guardian, the Daily Mail, and the Daily Star, and in many local papers, the news is designed to encourage shoppers to use the Asda Christmas savings card.

The articles also show another PR tactic, of using 'research' to promote coverage, as they declare more mums are worried about the costs of Christmas this year than in 2011.